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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fan · kick · plane · charge · kid · ruler · branch · jam

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. charge — in control
  3. kid — child
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. charge — electricity
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. branch — a division
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. plane — a tool
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. charge — a price
  21. kick — in football
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. fan — to cool the air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com